NI Naval air ace’s lead role in sinking three battleships · 1 remembrance ni A Fairey Swordﬁsh similar to those ﬂown by Torrens-Spence NI Naval air ace’s lead role in sinking

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remembrance ni

�A Fairey Swordfish similar to those flown by Torrens-Spence

NI Naval air ace’s lead role in sinking three battleships On the night of 11/11/1940, Michael Torrens-Spence DSO DSC DFC (Gr), piloted one of the

remembrance ni Issue 16

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21 Swordfish "Stringbag" aircraft from the carrier Illustrious which flew off in two waves to mount one of the most daring naval air raids ever attempted.

Two squadrons of Fleet Air Arm (FAA) torpedo-bombers from the aircraft-carrier HMS Illustrious – Nos 815 and 819 – and two from HMS Eagle – Nos 813 and 824 – attacked the Italian fleet as it lay at anchor in Taranto harbour. A total of 21 Fairey Swordfish aircraft took part in the operation, codenamed Judgement. All the planes flew from Illustrious since Eagle had been damaged in action off Calabria. The Swordfish flew off in two waves and achieved complete surprise. Three battleships, Conte di Cavour, Caio Duilio and Italia (previously Littorio) were sunk at their moorings. This reduced the battleship strength of the Regia Marina (the Italian Royal Navy) by half. Conte di Cavour was never to see action again although both Caio Duilio and Italia were raised and repaired. The survivors were transferred to less exposed bases which also reduced their effectiveness. A heavy cruiser, Trento, and some destroyers were also damaged as was the oil


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Captain Michael Torrens-Spence

storage depot. Only two FAA aircraft were lost on the mission.


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Enemy captain - he is mad or he is the bravest man in the worldLieutenant Michael Torrens-Spence received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his part in the raid that night. As part of the second wave, Torrens-Spence made his attack when the defences were fully alert. He flew so low through the harbour entrance that his wheels touched the water at one point. His torpedo was one of three to hit Italia. Michael Torrens-Spence also received the DSO, second only to the Victoria Cross as a gallantry award, for his courage and leadership during the Battle of Cape Matapan on 28/03/1941. In that battle the British Mediterranean Fleet, under Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, defeated the Italian fleet under Admiral Angelo Iachino. Aircraft of both the RAF and FAA played a major role in the battle, carrying out nine air strikes. One of those strikes, by aircraft from the aircraft-carrier HMS Formidable, saw the Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto damaged by a torpedo. This slowed the ship sufficiently to reduce the threat it posed to Cunningham’s command. Torrens-Spence torpedoed the cruiser Pola from remembrance ni Issue 16

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short range. The ship later sank and when rescued by the destroyer HMS Jervis, its captain commented that Torrens-Spence was ‘mad or he is the bravest man in the world’. Michael Torrens-Spence was also awarded the Hellenic Distinguished Flying Cross by the Greek government for his services to that country. This included his involvement at Cape Matapan, the battle having been fought to protect supply lines to Greece.

In his book “War in a Stringbag", Charles Lamb observed that because of his "innate nervousness", Torrens-Spence "always forced himself to press home his attacks to a suicidal degree, and the Italian's assessment was no exaggeration".

The following month, as CO of 815 Squadron, Torrens-Spence found himself in charge of a small force of "Stringbags" operating from an airfield at Paramythia in Albania, attacking Italian shipping to the north. On one occasion he torpedoed and blew up an ammunition ship; on another he attacked and sank what he believed to be a transport but which turned out to be a hospital ship which the Italians had failed to mark


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and illuminate. No blame was ever attached to Torrens-Spence, but he was forever saddened by the incident.

One evening the men of 815 were amazed to see what appeared to be a Junkers 88 land on their airfield. Seizing revolvers, they raced to the airstrip and leapt on the aircraft as it taxied to a halt. Torrens-Spence arrived first and, wrenching open the door, ordered the occupants out. One of the three passengers, speaking perfect English, introduced himself: "I'm King Peter of Yugoslavia and that gentleman is my Prime Minister." "And I'm Father Christmas," Torrens-Spence retorted. "Get out!"

But his prisoner indeed turned out to be the young monarch escaping from the invading Germans. Shortly afterwards the Germans found the airfield and attacked it. It was then evacuated.

When writing about 815 Squadron, Charles Lamb observed that "In my opinion 815 was the best squadron of them all, and Tiffy was its finest leader."


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Frederick Michael Alexander Torrens-Spence was born on 10/03/1914 at Whiteabbey, Co Antrim. His father was a professional soldier who spent most of the First World War as a PoW. At the age of 13, after attending Mourne Grange School in Kilkeel, young Michael entered Dartmouth Royal Naval College. He began his career on the battleship Valiant and was present at the Invergordon mutiny, later moving to the battleship Warspite, the cruiser Hawkins in the Indian Ocean and the destroyers Elgin and Wilchelsea.

After further training, he volunteered for flying duties with the Fleet Air Arm, then under the command of the RAF. After flying training at Leuchars on First World War Avro 504s, he was commissioned as a pilot in both the RAF and the Navy. His first postings were on the carriers Furious and, in 1937, Glorious.

When war broke out, Torrens-Spence was playing cricket in Alexandria. Glorious was immediately sent through the Suez Canal to hunt German surface raiders but none was found. He was then sent home from Aden to join the new carrier Illustrious.


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Illustrious entered the Mediterranean in September 1940 and was mainly employed on convoy escorts until the Taranto raid in November. When she was hit by German dive-bombers in early January 1941, Torrens-Spence was one of only three survivors from the wardroom where he had been having lunch. After his command of No. 815 Squadron, in 1942 he was posted as a test pilot at Boscombe Down and did not return to operational flying until 1945 when he was appointed to the aircraft-carrier HMS Illustrious to command its aircraft. The ship was due to join the British Pacific Fleet but the dropping of the atomic bomb and the end of the war meant she never had to be deployed. He then went to the Empire Test Pilots' School as CO, a job he did reluctantly as he wanted to get away from flying for a while to get in some sea time. He then served successively in the cruiser Theseus, as Assistant to the 2nd Sea Lord, and as CO of RNAS Eglinton in his native Northern Ireland.

In 1952 he was promoted Captain and sent back to the Admiralty to look after future aircraft requirements. He wrote the staff requirement for remembrance ni Issue 16

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the highly successful Buccaneer strike aircraft and steered it through the Admiralty Board.In 1955 he assumed command of Delight, a Daring class destroyer deploying in home and Mediterranean waters. Afterwards he commanded RNAS Lossiemouth, a training establishment, before taking command in 1959 of the carrier Albion where he spent the next two years, most of it in the Far East.

At 47, Torrens-Spence narrowly missed promotion to Rear Admiral, though he was nominated reserve, and left the Navy. Shortly afterwards, he was invited to become the Commandant of the Ulster Special Constabulary in County Armagh, the so-called "B" Specials.

When the Specials were disbanded in 1970 and replaced by the Ulster Defence Regiment, Torrens-Spence was asked to take command of the County Armagh Battalion (2 UDR), as a lieutenant colonel, to get it up and running. This was not easy as many people had been disheartened by the disbandment of the Specials, but he succeeded in getting enough men and women to volunteer. He retired in 1972.


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After the murder by the IRA of the Lord Lieutenant for Co Armagh, Sir Norman Stronge, in January 1981, Torrens-Spence was invited to become Lord Lieutenant in his place, which he did, albeit with some reluctance, and held the post for seven years.

Torrens-Spence was modest about his achievements. Though he was a passionate unionist, he was never bigoted or closed to new ideas. He was nevertheless saddened by what he saw as continual government appeasement of terrorism.

The Fleet Air Arm’s developmentOn 01/04/1924, the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force was formed, encompassing those RAF units that normally embarked on aircraft carriers and fighting ships.1924 was a significant year for British naval aviation as only weeks before the founding of the Fleet Air Arm, the Royal Navy had commissioned HMS Hermes, the world's first ship to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier. Over the following months RAF Fleet Air Arm Fairey IIID reconnaissance biplanes operated off Hermes, conducting flying trials.


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On 24/05/1939 the Fleet Air Arm was returned to Admiralty control under the "Inskip Award" (named after the Minister for Co-ordination of Defence who was overseeing Britain's re-armament programme) and renamed the Air Branch of the Royal Navy. At the onset of the Second World War, the Fleet Air Arm consisted of 20 squadrons with only 232 aircraft. By the end of the war the worldwide strength of the Fleet Air Arm was 59 aircraft carriers, 3,700 aircraft, 72,000 officers and men, and 56 Naval air stations.

During the war, the FAA operated fighters, torpedo bombers and reconnaissance aircraft.

Following the Dunkirk evacuation and the commencement of the Battle of Britain, the Royal Air Force soon found itself critically short of fighter pilots. In the summer of 1940, the RAF had little more than 800 fighter pilots and as the Battle progressed the RAF shortage worsened. There were simply not enough pilots, not enough ground crew, never enough sleep and too many enemy aircraft. With this desperate situation the RAF was forced to call upon the Admiralty for Fleet Air Arm assistance. As the Battle progressed, many of the unsung heroes of RAF


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Fighter Command were the Fleet Air Arm crews who served under Fighter Command, either loaned directly to RAF fighter squadrons or as with 804 and 808 naval units, entire squadrons were loaned to RAF Fighter Command, such as No 804 Squadron, which provided dockyard defence during the Battle of Britain with Sea Gladiators.

In the waters around the British Isles and out into the Atlantic Ocean, operations against enemy shipping and submarines in support of the RN were mounted by RAF Coastal Command with large patrol bombers and flying boats and land-based fighter-bombers. The aircraft carrier had replaced the battleship as the Fleet's capital ship and its aircraft were now strike weapons in their own right. The top scoring fighter ace with 17 victories was Commander Stanley Orr, the Royal Marine ace was Ronald Cuthbert Hay with 13 victories.

ROLL OF HONOUR

+ACHESON, Michael Ernest Brabazon

RN. FAA. Sub. Lieutenant. Died 04/10/1944. Age 20. HMS Heron. Killed in flying accident whilst remembrance ni Issue 16

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on active service. Born 17/12/1923. Son of Captain Hon. Patrick George Edward Cavendish Acheson and Norah Acheson. Brother of Lieutenant Nicholas Acheson. Gosford, Co. Armagh and Chipstead, Surrey. Yeovilton Churchyard RNAS Extension.

ADDY, David Cyril Baines

RN. FAA. Leading Airman.Campbell College. RBAI. Born 22/02/1926. Son of JV Addy, Knock Rd., Belfast. Died 05/02/1991.

ALDWELL, Basil Willington

RNVR. FAA. Lieutenant. Enlisted 20/11/1940. Pilot 796 Squadron FAA Tanganyika; Squadron 803 FAA East Africa; Squadron 797 FAA Ceylon, Squadron 810 FAA HMS Illustrious (carrier). PoW in Japanese captivity at Ofune near Tokyo, 21/06/1944 - 26/08/1945. Bother of Lieutenant (E) Thomas Derek Aldwell, RN. Born Lurgan 23/04/1920. Died 13/05/1996

ANDERSON, RB

HMS Caroline. RNVR. Lieutenant - Commander. Appointed Assistant Defence Officer for West Solent and Isle of Wight, September 1939. July


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1945 appointed First Lieutenant HMS Mayina, Ceylon. Later Officer i/c Fleet Air Arm at Trincomalee.

BABINGTON, Robert

RNAS/ FAA. Sub Lieutenant. Pilot. 1939-45. DCS. During the course of the war he had at least two near death experiences. His first wartime posting was flying Fairy Fulmars from the Harland and Wolff-built carrier HMS Formidable. He arrived in Egypt just as his ship was about to take part in the evacuation of Crete. After the Crete evacuation he flew Swordfish torpedo bombers during the invasion of Syria and once spent three days in a dingy, without food or water, after being forced to ditch at sea. Robert was awarded a DSC. The citation reads: "The Distinguished Service Cross has been awarded to Sub Lieutenant Babington for his skill, bravery and sustained resolution in many air attacks against enemy submarines and E-boats in the Mediterranean."He had another brush with death when the carrier HMS Dasher was sunk on 27/03/1943 while sailing in the Clyde with the loss of 379 men. As the ship was sinking, he was forced to jump overboard and swim to safety. A massive explosion took the ship under a short time later. Dublin born. St remembrance ni Issue 16

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Columba’s College and Trinity College, Dublin. Called to the Northern Ireland Bar 1947. Queen’s Counsel 1965. An Ulster Unionist member. He resigned from the ’66 Committee of Unionist back - benchers in October 1970. Sat for North Down from the 1969 general election until the prorogation of the Parliament in 1972. County Court Judge for Fermanagh and Tyrone from 1974. Award of DCS reported in Belfast Weekly Telegraph 26/02/1943.

+BAYNE, Alan Miller Cameron

RN. Petty Officer Airman.FX76845. FAA, 754 Squadron. Died 17/2/1943. Age 23. 754 Squadron was based at HMS Condor, a Royal Naval Air Station, at Arbroath. Alan died in an air crash while in service. Son of William James Bayne, and Mrs. Selina Bayne, Tinwald, Canterbury, New Zealand, and formerly of Tamlaghtmore, Moneymore. Cookstown New Cemetery. First Cookstown PCI - RH

+BOAL, William James

RNVR. FAA. Prob T/ Sub-Lieut (A). DCM. 755 Squadron based at HMS Kestrel, Worthy Down, Winchester. Died 01/07/1941. Age 47. Whilst serving as a pilot instructor there was a collision with another plane. Served in the ranks of 9th remembrance ni Issue 16

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Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers as a signaller in World War 1. DCM 01/01/1919, St Quentin, France. Son of Robert and Jane Boal. Robert Boal, also army, served in Gibraltar, Egypt, Malta, South Africa, WW1. Husband to Margaret Boal, Tobermore. Family memorial St Columba’s Church of Ireland graveyard, Draperstown.

BROWN, William

RN. FAA. Commissioned 1940. RBAI. University of Michigan. He flew Walrus seaplanes from bases in N Africa and Scotland.

Seconded to 836 Naval Air Squadron at Maydown on the Foyle estuary. Its remit was to monitor U-boat activity in the North Atlantic. He and his squadron flew Fairey Swordfish biplanes from converted merchant vessels known as MAC Ships (Merchant aircraft carriers) that accompanied vessels across the Atlantic.

Bill developed a passion for mathematics and post-war completed a PhD in mathematics at the University of Michigan and subsequently lectured in the USA sand Canada. He returned to Portaferry in 1958 and became involved in the family business.


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His passion for sailing resulted in him designing a new 35ft racing yacht ‘Ruffian’. He and his brother founded Westerley Yachts and over 200 fibreglass yachts were produced in there two factories in the 1970’s and 80’s.

Bill returned to teaching mathematics at Sullivan Upper and then the Open University.

He and his wife had a strong involvement with the RNLI Portaferry Station. Bill a served as Hon. Secretary to the Station for 12 years and was awarded the RNLI’s Gold Badge in 2005. Born Portaferry 24/04/1921 - Died 08/03/2006.

+BURNS, Robert Hugh

RNVR. FAA. 1836 Squadron . Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 07/04/1945. Age 22. In the carrier HMS Victorious which was operating in the East China Sea. Flying a Vought F4U-1A Corsair fighter while on a strike on Hirara airfield, it appears he lost his bearings and was obliged to ditch the aircraft. His body was subsequently recovered from the sea. Had been a member of QUB OTC and Troop leader in 13th Belfast Scout troop. Brother serving with RAF in India. His father served in WW1. Elder Son of Mr & Mrs R Burns, Colenso Parade, Belfast. (Belfast Weekly remembrance ni Issue 16

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Telegraph 25/05/1945). Lee -on- Solent memorial, Bay 6, Panel 3

BURTON, Robert Davey RNVR. Lieutenant. (A). BA, QUB 1938

+CARR, John

RNVR. Lieutenant (A) Died 17/01/1941. Age 33. HMS Goshawk. Son of Thomas J and Mary Carr, Belfast. Lee-on-Solent Naval Memorial, Panel 6. RNIYC WM

CAPPER, Adam Clarke

FAA. 1939-45. Campbell College. BA, OU. Born 14/09/1926. Son of T. H. Capper, 56 Malone Park, Belfast. Civil servant Rtd. Killinchy.

CLENDINNING, Henry George

RN. FAA. Lieutenant Commander (A). 386306. Portadown College. BSc QUB 1940. The War interrupted his studies in civil engineering at QUB. He volunteered to join the Fleet Air Arm. He was sent to Kingston, Ontario to train as a pilot. He flew a variety of single and twin engined aeroplanes in his career, sometimes off aircraft carriers. Later in the war he was chosen to be


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Lady Mountbatten's pilot on a number of occasions. From RNVR to be Lieutenant from 01/09/1947 with seniority from 05/03/1943 (London Gazette 27/01/1948).

Post-war on the death of his father he returned to run the family business of Clendinning Bros Richhill until his retirement in 1982. He continued to fly with the Scottish Air Division until 1957. Harry had flown with the Squadron to Malta where Joan was working for four years as a Radar Wren in air traffic control. They married in Scotland before returning to set up home at Mahon House in Portadown.

Harry had a fruitful career as a pilot and featured in the book Murricane's Men, flying in Canada and Europe, and taking part in the Queen's Coronation where he flew in formation over Windsor.

He played rugby for Portadown College and was a member of the town's first fifteen rugby squad. Harry continued to sail twice a week at Lough Neagh Sailing Club where he was a founder member and three times past Commodore. In Tarbet Harry was runner-up in his Rover series class in 1995 and was class winner and points winner in West Highland Week in 1996. He was delighted to receive the prize for oldest skipper remembrance ni Issue 16

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and collected this award at many regattas. He was a Rector’s Church Warden both in St Mark's Portadown and St Mark's Armagh. Vice President of the British Legion and in the years before his death took the salute at Remembrance Day parades in Armagh and at the Sixtieth Anniversary Parade in Tandragee. High Sheriff for County Armagh. Born Richill. Died February 2008.

+CRAWFORD, Wallace

RN. FAA. Petty Officer. Wireless operator. FX/76537. Died 13/06/1940. Age 26. HMS Ark Royal, 800 Sqdn. FAA Joined RN when he was 16 and transferred to FAA. Son of William J. and Elizabeth Crawford, Glenwood St., Belfast. She was notified he was missing. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 29/06/1940). One of two crew in Ark Royal whose remains are interred at Staadsbygd Churchyard, Norway.

+CUNNINGHAM, George Nethercott

RNVR. FAA. 717 Squadron . Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 02/07/1945. Age 21. HMS Merganser. Killed when his Fairey Barracuda dived into the Moray Firth in the course of a training exercise while shore-based at Rattray. Son of Henry and


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Jeanie Cunningham of Belfast. Carnmoney Cemetery

+DALTON, Edward Charles

RNVR. FAA. 750 Squadron. Lieutenant (A). Died 24/02/1942. Age 39. HMS Goshawk. In WW1, aged 17, he joined the RFC. After the war he took up the cause of civil aviation on, being associated with Mr. E. Hillman during the early stage of Hillman Aviation. He was a member of several well-known aero clubs in Ireland and England. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II he was commissioned in the RNVR and at the time of his death was serving in 750 Squadron which was shore based at Pierce Savannah in Trinidad and part of No 1 Observers School. When returning from an exercise, flying a Drumman Goose. Everyone on board both aircraft was killed. Son of Joseph and Mary Ann Dalton; husband to Helen Betty Dalton, Belfast. Port of Spain (St James) Military Cemetery, Trinidad and Tobago.

DARLING, Gerald Ralph Auchinleck

RNVR. FAA. Lieutenant-Commander. At the age of 18 he began an outstanding career in the RNVR, from 1940 to 1946, as a Fleet Air Arm pilot, later becoming Chief Test Pilot with the Mediterranean Fleet. A dangerous job and few of


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his colleagues survived the war. He himself crash-landed, suffering severe injuries including a smashed pelvis. The prognosis was that he would never walk again but following the Greek motto on his aircraft, meaning "Know Thyself", he characteristically defied all the odds, learning to ride again both horse and bicycle. He maintained his connection with the Navy through the RNVR, rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.

Born 1921 in Erganagh Rectory where his grandfather Gerald was rector, he maintained his Northern Ireland connections throughout his life.

Academically he was a high flyer. His first school was Omagh, then a scholarship to Harrow, and a classics scholarship to Hereford College, Oxford.

On the death of his father in 1958 he had inherited Crevenagh House, near Omagh, where, from his schooldays, he had spent many happy holidays with his extended family. He was proud of his descent from the Auchinleck family who had always lived there, and resolved to maintain it as a family home despite his ties to life in London. In his London office you would find a Donegal landscape and a map showing the wartime achievements of Ulster.


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In 1990 he became Deputy Lieutenant of Co Tyrone and in 1993 High Sheriff. In his obsequies address Bishop Hannon of Clogher paid tribute to Gerald Darling's contribution to the work of Edenderry parish, where he had served as parish secretary. In the townlands of Omagh his roots went deep. Bishop Hannon related how, before a major court appearance, Darling would ease the tension by thinking of his favourite spots on the river, the snipe bogs and mountains of Tyrone. Strangely, after a lifetime of trout-fishing, he caught his first salmon only a year before his death. One of his family remembers the fishing picnics in childhood - "as unfortunately a mizzly day is good for fishing the picnics were often rather damp affairs".

But that was balanced by the warmth of bedtime stories in the family flat in the Middle Temple where it is said the family, willy-nilly, added to the appreciative audience for Darling's dramatic readings of Winnie the Pooh. He would, friends say, have been equally at home as a farmer, taking great pride in his forestry and Belted Galloway cattle and never more at home than working in ragged jeans with his chainsaw.

A permanent record of Gerald Darling and his distinction as a lawyer will be his contribution to that definitive work, Halsbury's Laws of England


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(Admiralty and Ship Collisions), the third edition of 1952. In 1992 he was made an Honorary Bencher of the Northern Ireland Bar.

Gerald Ralph Auchinleck Darling, barrister-at-law: born Erganagh, Co Tyrone 8 December 1921; called to the Bar, Middle Temple 1950, Bencher 1972, Treasurer 1991; Barrister, Northern Ireland 1957, Honorary Bencher 1992; RD 1967; QC 1967; member, Panel of Lloyd's Arbitrators in Salvage Cases 1967-78, Appeal Arbitrator 1978-91; member, Panel of Wreck Commissioners 1967-96; QC, Hong Kong 1968; Judge, Admiralty Court of the Cinque Ports 1979-96; trustee, Royal Naval Museum 1985-90; Lloyd's Silver Medal 1991; married 1954 Susan Hobbs (one son, one daughter); died Londonderry 13 September 1996.

DEVENNIE, John

RNVR. Sub - Lieutenant (A). RFPE; Med. QUB 1942. Coleraine

DOWNEY, William Gyles Paton

RNVR. Sub - Lieutenant (A). RFPE; Ap. Sci QUB 1940.

DUFFY, John Alexander


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FAA. Air Mechanic. 22 years old. One of the 25 survivors from HMS Glorious. Home after many weeks in hospital suffering from exposure. His father lost his life serving in RN in WW1. Sister serving in ATS. Mackey St., Belfast. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 24/08/1940).

ERSKINE, Colin Jack

RN. Naval Airman. b. 29/05/1925. Son of J. Erskine, Greenisland. Campbell College 2681

+ERVIN, Graham HamiltonRNVR. FAA. Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 06/05/1942. Age 23. Operating from HMS Illustrious when the Swordfish he was piloting failed to return from strikes against Vichy warships in Diego Suarez, Madagascar. Son of Walter Kennedy and Maude Jane Ervin, Belfast. Diego Suarez War Cemetery, Madagascar

ERVIN, Wilson

RN. FAA. CBE. Petty Officer. Radar. Served 4 years. HMS Illustrious. Served in home waters as well as South Africa, the Far East, Ceylon, Burma and Australia. His 21st birthday was spent in the Indian Ocean. Served in Pacific, kamikaze attacks. Off Burma when war ended. Pupil at Stramillis and Fane Street Primary


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Schools, and RBAI. Joined the Belfast Banking Company on 15/04/1942 at Dungannon branch. He returned from active service on 22/08/1946. Post-war career in banking, from clerk to chief executive and managing director of Northern Bank in Ireland. He attended the 2000 re-dedication ceremony of the Bank’s Rolls of Honour. Governor of RBAI, Vice President of RNLI, RUAS. Trustee of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and elder of Fisherwick Church from where his funeral took place 25/02/2015. Aged 91. Son of Robert John Ervin, Lucerne Parade, Belfast. Husband to Joan who predeceased him.

FERGUSON, Robert

RN. FAA. Bob left the family farm in Fermanagh to join the Royal Navy in 1943. As soon as he was old enough he applied to join the Fleet Air Arm as a pilot. He trained in Canada and spent the last few months of the war flying fighter aircraft from carriers in the Pacific.

After the war he took a degree in geology at Trinity College, Dublin and worked for several years on the copper mines of Northern Rhodesia. He became interested in a career in medicine and saved enough money to put himself through medical school. After graduating from Queen’s University, Belfast, he worked at


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Belfast City Hospital and at the South Tyrone Hospital in Dungannon. He then moved to Boston, USA, where he served on the staff of the Veterans Administration Hospital and later the Northeastern University Student Health Service. He died 10/02/2010 at Wellesley, Massachusetts. USA, survived by his wife Betty.

FITZGERALD, Charles Stanley RNVR. FAA. A./P.O. Arts, QUB 1942. St John’s Parish Church RH. Newcastle

FORSYTHE, Ian Charles Stuart

RNVR. Sub. Lt.(A). Med, QUB 1946

+GLOVER, Harold Aloysius

RN. Petty Officer Airman. FAA/FX. 80001. Died 01/01/1941 Age: 23. HMS Formidable. Husband of Eileen May Glover, Portrush. St Helens Cemetery, Lancashire. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 2

+HAMILTON, Samuel Frederick

RN. FAA. Leading Air Mechanic. FAA/FX 76837. Died 29/01/1943. Age: 27. HMS Cormorant, RNAS Station, Gibraltar. Died in N Africa. Son of


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William John Frederick and Sarah Hamilton, Omagh. Bone War Cemetery. Annaba, N Africa

+HENSHAW, Desmond

RN. FAA. Leading Airman (A). FX85331. Died 15/12/1941. Age 19. HMS Daedalus. Died when the Fairey Battle he was flying on a night exercise from Netheravon in Wiltshire, stalled in a right hand turn and crashed two miles east of Shrewton. Rowed for MCB winning the maiden four at Dublin. Two brothers serving in RN. Son of Joseph McKeown Henshaw and Lillian Henshaw, Whitehead. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 26/12/1941). Islandmagee (Ballyharry) Cemetery

HOLLYWOOD, Arthur James

RNVR. FAA. Lieutenant (A). Brother of DFA Hollywood (below). Born 03/05/1920. Son of David and Eileen Hollywood, Redgorton, Bangor. Campbell College. Scholar, TCD, 1937- 40. Chartered Auctioneer and Estate Agent. Greenwood Park, Belfast. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 24/09/1943).

+HOLLYWOOD, David Francis Apperson

RNVR. FAA. Sub. Lieutenant (A). HMS Goldcrest. Died 15/09/1943. Aged 20. Campbell College remembrance ni Issue 16

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QUB OTC. Transferred to University Air Squadron. ‘Frank’ was flying a Sea Hurricane of 794 Squadron from the RNAS airfield at Dale in Wales when the engine caught fire on taking off on an exercise. He force landed the aircraft which over-ran into an adjoining field and caught fire, killing him. Born 21/03/1923. Son of David and Eileen Hollywood, Redgorton, Bangor, Co. Down. Buried Bangor Cemetery. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 24/09/1943). First Bangor Presbyterian Church WM, Campbell College WM, QUB WM

HOWIE, William Drummond

RN. Petty Officer (A). App Sci, QUB 1947

+KENNEDY, Frederick William

RNVR. FAA. 827 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 29/05/1943. HMS Landrail. Fred was flying a Fairey Barracuda on a simulated torpedo attack against a target ship off Crail in Scotland when it crashed into the sea, on 29 May 1943. He was a member of 827 Squadron, which was temporarily shore-based at Dunino, while working up on new aircraft. A son of William John and Elizabeth Kennedy of Belfast. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 4


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KNOX, Hugh Stuart Geddes

RNVR. Sub - Lieutenant (A). Science, QUB 1943

+JACKSON, George Balfour Sydney

RN. FAA. Leading Airman, FAA/FX 80569. Assigned to HMS Daedalus (FAA base at Lee-on-Solent). Died 17/01/1941. Age 19. He was a passenger on steam passenger ship Almeda Star lost on passage to Trinidad. The ship was sunk with the loss of all crew and passengers by U-Boat 96. Son of Sydney Herbert and Marjorie Sinclair Jackson, Belfast. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Hampshire. St Jude’s Parish Church, Belfast WM

+KENNEDY, Frederick William

RNVR. FAA. 827 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 29/05/1943. HMS Landrail (Fleet Air Arm). Methodist College Belfast. Fred was flying a Fairey Barracuda on a simulated torpedo attack against a target ship off Crail in Scotland when it crashed into the sea, on 29/05/1943. He was a member of 827 Squadron, which was temporarily shore-based at Dunino, while working up on new aircraft. Son of William John and Elizabeth Kennedy, Ben Madigan Pk.,


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Belfast. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 11/06/1943). Lee-on-Solent Naval Memorial, Bay 4

KYRKE GF

HMS Caroline. RNVR. Paymaster Commander. VD. The senior accountant officer in the ship before the war, on mobilisation he was appointed to Fleet Air Arm at Lympne and thence in 1940 to Fleet Air Arm at Newcastle-under-Lyne. In the same year appointed to HMS Greenwich, depot repair ship, which he joined at Rosyth, proceeding with the ship to St. John's, Newfoundland where he remained until 1943. Returning to Belfast in 1943, he was appointed to RNAS Eglinton (HMS Gannet) in 1944, and was stationed there until his demobilisation in 1946.

LEACH, Charles Morley

RNVR. Sub. Lieutenant( A). Midshipman 26/11/1943 (Navy List 31/03/1944). Lieutenant 28/10/1944. (Navy List 30/07/1945). Agric, QUB 1946

LITTLE, David Gordon

RNVR. Sub.Lt. (A). BSc, QUB 1944


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+LOWDEN, George Henry Crawford,

RNVR. FAA. 1851 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A), RNVR. Died 20/04/1945. Age 22. HMS Gannet. 1851 Squadron was in Malta, embarking on HMS Venerable. While flying alongside the ship, George turned too steeply and stalled into the sea. Son of George and Jeannette Lowden, Bangor, Co. Down. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 6.

+MARTIN, Ronald,

RNVR. FAA. 819 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 09/05/1943. Age 22. HMS Archer. Ronald was flying a Swordfish embarked on HMS Archer on convoy escort duty when the aircraft went into the sea killing him and his two crew members. Only son of Dr and Mrs S E Martin of Newry and Salisbury. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 4.

MATTHEW, Brian John

RNVR; RN. Lieutenant (A). Ap. Sci, QUB 1941. St Columba’s Parish Church, Knock WM

McALPIN, William Scott

RNVR. Sub.Lt.(A) Agric, QUB 1946


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McCANN, William

RN. AB. DSM. BEM. DSM presented by HM The King at investiture. 15 years’ service including special service with Fleet Air Arm when stationed in Malta for nine months. Brother Richard serving in RN, another serving in the army and a sister serving with Australian Air Force. Father served with RHA in WW1. Torrens Parade, Belfast.

McCARTNEY, Thomas Isaac

RNVR. Lt.(A). Med, QUB 1946

McDERMOTT, Robert

RNR. Pilot. Flew the Seafire, the naval version of the Spitfire. Served in Canada, USA, Africa and Sri Lanka (Ceylon) where he commanded 742 Squadron and was the Admiral’s personal pilot. Married Third Officer Gill Oppenhemer, WRNS, in Columbo, Ceylon, on 10/03/1945. Gill also served at Bletchley Park where the Enigma code was broken. Churchill later commented how successfully the WRNS had kept secret the work of Station X. Robert was keen to stay in the navy but familial duty brought him home to run their shirt and collar making business in Bridge St., Coleraine. remembrance ni Issue 16

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McLISTER, Thomas Joseph INSERT TO COME

RNVR. Lt.(A), Med, QUB 1946

McMULLAN, David Harold

RN. Sub.Lt.(A). LDS, QUB 1945

MONARD, Patrick Terence

RNVR. FAA. Petty Officer. 1939 - 45. Campbell College. Born 20/11/1924. Son of SH Monard, The Warren, Donaghadee.

MONTGOMERY, Henry

RNVR. FAA. Lieutenant (A). BA (Emmanuel, Cantab), MA (Toronto), PhD (Washington, Seattle). B 02/12/1916. Son of Rev WE Montgomery, Formosa. Campbell College 3493

NEVIN, Muriel

MOUNT, James SelwoodRNVR. F/O. Sub.Lt(A) WOPE, QUB 1943


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WRNS. Posted with the A36 and A37 Fleet Air Squadron in Maydown. Was present in Londonderry on 14/05/1945 when the first of the German U-boats made their way up the Foyle to the port of Lisahally, where they were formally ordered to surrender by Admiral Sir Max Horton, Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches. Born Liverpool. Armagh. RBL

PITTAWAY, John Lionel Greville

RN. Airman. B 17/07/1926. Son of JE Pittaway, Cherryvalley Pk., Knock, Belfast. MA Cantab. MICE. Lydiart Millicent, Wiltshire. Campbell College 2934

+THOMAS, Richard Alexander,

RNVR. FAA. 830 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 06/02/1942. Age 23. HMS St Angelo. Failed to return to shore base on Malta from a sortie against shipping in a Swordfish aircraft during the night of 6/7 February. Son of Richard Blethyn Thomas and Helena Thomas, of Belfast. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 4

+THORNBERRY, Edward Windsor,

RNVR. FAA.1842 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A),Died 24/08/1944. Age 21. HMS Formidable. Flying a Vought F4U-1A Corsair from HMS remembrance ni Issue 16

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Formidable during the attack on the battleship Tirpitz when he was shot down and killed over Alten Fjord. Son of Joseph G. and Agnes E. Thornberry, Kilkeel. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 5

PITTAWAY, John Lionel Greville

RN. Airman. Campbell College. MA Cantab. MICE. Born 17/07/1926. Son of JE Pittaway, Cherryvalley Pk., Knock, Belfast. Post war resided at Lydiart Millicent, Wiltshire.

+POLLOCK, Herbert Mercer

RNVR. Lieutenant (A). Served WW1. Died 10/08/1942. Age 42. HMS Condor. Entered Royal School Dungannon 1900. Son of James and Annie Olivia Pollock. Husband to Iris Isobel Pollock, Malone, Belfast. Arbroath Western Cemetery. RNIYC WM

ROBINSON, A

HMS Caroline. RNVR. Surgeon Commander, OStJ, RN. Entered Ulster Division in 1934 as Paymaster-Sub-Lieutenant (L.1). Served as Captain's secretary during Munich crisis. Qualified in medicine 1939 and appointed RN Hospital, Haslar as Surgeon-Lieutenant, R.N., remembrance ni Issue 16

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having transferred to regular service. 05/1940 - 11/1941 to HMS Ark Royal with medical charge of air crews. Received commendation from Admiral Sir James Somerville for his services in Ark Royal. 11/1941- 11/1943 PMO RN Signal School, Chatham. Thereafter, appointed to series of rescue ships operating in Indian Ocean (HMS Okapi, Overdale Wyke, HMIS Sonovati), until 1944 when appointed RNA Hospitals at Diyatalawa and Colombo as pathologist. Retired from the Royal Navy 1962.

SCOTT, Robert

FAA. FX567022. Enlisted age 18. Served 06/43 - 04/46. Aircraft mechanic. Went to USA on Queen Elizabeth. Served for three months in US Navy ship Albemar, a seaplane repair ship. Then to Trinidad. Founder member Limavady RNA

+SQUIRES, Francis William

RNVR. Lieutenant (A), 854 Squadron. HMS Illustrious. Died 27/03/1945. Aged 29. Launching attacks on airfields in Sakishma, Gunto. Pacific, from HM Aircraft Carriers Indomitable, Indefatigable and Victorious covered by major units of BPF and with screen of Fleet destroyers. Joint operations with US Task Group in continuation with breaks for refuelling from remembrance ni Issue 16

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British Fleet Train. Graduated B.Sc. (Eng.) Hons. Son of Francis William and Florence Evelyn Squires; husband to Margaret Jane Squires, Limavady. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 6

STUART, W Sub-Lieutenant (A). DSC. Dalriada School and Edinburgh University. Volunteered in 1940. Son of Mr and Mrs Wm. Stuart, Eastburn, Ballymoney. Award of DCS reported in Belfast Weekly Telegraph 26/02/1943.

+SURGEONER, William John

RN. FAA. Air Mechanic (1st Class). FX/110964. Died 04/03/1945. Age 20. HMS Malagas, Wingfield, Cape Town, South Africa. Simon’s Town (Dido Valley) Cemetery. Son of John and Jeannie Surgeoner, Ballymena. Ballymena WM

+THOMAS, Richard Alexander,

RNVR. FAA. 830 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 06/02/1942. Age 23. HMS St Angelo. Failed to return to shore base on Malta from a sortie against shipping in a Swordfish aircraft during the night of 6/7 February. Son of Richard Blethyn Thomas and Helena Thomas, of Belfast. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 4


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+THORNBERRY, Edward Windsor,

RNVR. FAA.1842 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A),Died 24/08/1944. Age 21. HMS Formidable. Flying a Vought F4U-1A Corsair from HMS Formidable during the attack on the battleship Tirpitz when he was shot down and killed over Alten Fjord. Son of Joseph G. and Agnes E. Thornberry, Kilkeel. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 5

+THOMAS, Richard Alexander

RNVR. FAA. 830 Squadron. Sub. Lieutenant (A). Died 06/02/1942. Age 23. HMS St. Angelo. Failed to return in a Swordfish aircraft to shore base on Malta from a sortie against shipping during the night of 6/7 February.

After MCB he joined the Northern Bank and served in Gortin and Armagh. He joined up in January 1941 and was commissioned in November 1941.

Son of Richard Blethyn Thomas and Helena Thomas, Cleaver Pk., Belfast. Richard Thomas was manager of Thompson’s Restaurants, Belfast. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 20/02/1942). Lee on Solent Memorial, Bay 4


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THOMPSON, Richard

RN. FAA. First Class Air mechanic. Age 23. His parents were informed that he was missing presumed killed in HMS Hermes. In April 1942 Hermes was attacked by Japanese planes whilst deployed with the Eastern Fleet and there was a high loss of life. Before the war he served in the Merchant Navy. Son of Mr and Mrs John Thompson, Earl St., Belfast. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 15/05/1942).

THOMPSON, David Gordon

RNVR. Lt.(A). Dip. ED, Com, QUB 1938

THOMPSON, Frederick Alexander

RNVR. Sub. Lieutenant. (A). Arts, Law, Med, QUB. 1942

+THORNBERRY, Edward Windsor

RNVR. FAA.1842 Squadron. Sub-Lieutenant (A). Died 24/08/1944. Age 21. HMS Formidable. Flying a Vought F4U-1A Corsair from HMS Formidable during the attack on the battleship Tirpitz when he was shot down and killed over Alten Fjord. Medicine, QUB 1941. Son of Joseph


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G. and Agnes E. Thornberry, Mullaghglass, and Kilkeel. Lee-on-Solent Memorial, Bay 5. Bessbrook WM. QUB WM

TOMBE, George Alexander Johnston

RNVR. P/O. Sub. Lt. (A). BA, QUB 1944

TORRENS - SPENCE, Frederick Michael Alexander

RNAS/FAA. Captain. DSO, DFC, AFC and Greek DFC. B Whiteabbey, County Antrim 10/03/1914. Mourne Grange School, at the age of 13 he attended Dartmouth RNC. Husband to Rachel. One of their sons Brigadier Edward John (Johnny) Torrens-Spence CBE, was British Embassy military attaché to the United States. D 12/12/2001, Laurelvale House, Laurelvale. See above

+VOGAN, Kenneth Ernest,

RNVR. FAA. 1843 Squadron . Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 30/05/1945. Age 24. HMS Gannet.In March 1945, 1843 Squadron embarked in HMS Arbiter in the Clyde for Australian waters, where the carrier was in May. Kenneth was flying a Corsair which, for reasons that are unclear, dived vertically into a hillside near Sydney, killing him.


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Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Vogan, Armagh, Northern Ireland. Sydney War Cemetery

+WILLETT, Joseph Stuart

RNVR. FAA. 789 Squadron. Sub Lieutenant (A). Died 26/10/1942. Age 22. HMS Malagas. The role of the squadron, then based at Wingfield, Cape Town, was to provide facilities such as target towing in support of naval units. During a night mission of some kind, his aircraft, a Fairey Albacore, collided with a similar machine. The other aircraft landed safely but Joseph’s crashed close to the airfield, killing all three crew on board.Son of Rudolph Stuart Willett and Mabel Wiles Willett, Dhu-Varren, Portrush. Simon’s Town (Dido Valley) Cemetery

WALLER, Sydney

RN. FAA. Transferred from RAF to FAA in 1939. Served in carriers HMS Furious and HMS Attacker 03/1940 - 10/1944. Served his first period in Arctic waters during Norwegian campaign in 1940. Ship was equipped with two squadrons of relatively obsolete Swordfish biplanes. During the campaign the squadrons suffered a fifty percent casualty rate sf finished with virtually no serviceable aircraft. Furious escaped the campaign relatively unscathed. Her


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sister ship Glorious was sunk. Furious was in Belfast during the blitz of 1941. Templepatrick.

+WERTS, George L

RNVR. Lieutenant (A). FAA. 521 Squadron. Died 12/06/1943. Air crash. St. Angelo. QUB Air Squadron.Son of Charles Jerome Werts and Gertrude Sarah Werts; husband of Winifred Edith Werts, of Ealing, Middlesex. Glenalina Extension, Belfast City Cemetery

Acknowledgments Belfast TelegraphBelfast Weekly Telegraph

Campbelll College RegisterCommonwealth War Graves Commission Ernest Cromie, Ulster Aviation SocietyJohn Pudney, Limavady Branch, RNAQueen’s University, Belfast


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remembrance ni The remembrance ni programme is overseen by Very Rev Dr Houston McKelvey OBE, QVRM, TD who served as Chaplain to 102 and 105 Regiments Royal Artillery (TA), as Hon. Chaplain to RNR and as Chaplain to the RBL NI area and the Burma Star Association NI.

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